Not a Chef

Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo with Perfectly Tender Salmon

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 16:07:14 GMT

Sometimes you want to make a nice dinner without spending the entire night cooking and washing dishes. This is that dinner. Perfectly tender salmon over creamy lemon garlic orzo, finished with enough Parmesan to make it feel a little more special than your average Tuesday night. It looks impressive, tastes even better, and somehow makes it seem like you really had a plan all along.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links listed are affiliate links. This means if you order through those links, I will earn a small commission. HOWEVER, I would highly recommend looking online or in local restaurant supply stores, because for most of these items, you’ll be able to find them cheaper there. If you wish to support me, subscribing here on Substack and over on YouTube is the best way. But when it comes to buying things, I just want you to have the best price.

Lemon Garlic Orzo with Salmon

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Salmon

Skin-On Salmon Fillet (5-6 oz each)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Garlic Powder (1 tbsp)
Onion Powder (2 tsp)
Dried Oregano (1 tbsp)
Smoked Paprika (1 tsp)
Olive Oil (2 tbsp)
Unsalted Butter (2 tbsp)

Orzo

Orzo (1 cup)
Garlic (6 cloves)
Shallot (1 half)
Cherry Tomato (6-8)
Baby Spinach (1 handful)
Red Pepper Flakes (1 tbsp) Optional
Chicken Bone Broth (2 cups)
Heavy Cream (½ cup)
Parmigiano Reggiano (100g or until your heart is happy)
Lemon Juice (½ lemon)
Lemon Zest (1 full lemon)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Garnish

Parsley (3-4 stems worth)
Parmigiano Reggiano (to taste)

Preparation:

Prep 1: The Veg Prep Step 🥕🥬🔪
One of the reasons I really love this recipe is that there is so little prep, but the result looks like you’ve been grinding away in the kitchen for hours.

High Protein Noodles that Taste Like Takeout

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:19:13 GMT

My wife is pregnant and craving peanut noodles, so naturally, peanut noodles are happening. A lot. But if I’m going to be making them on repeat, I figure I might as well make them a little more filling and sneak in some extra protein. The goal is to make the craving healthier without making it taste like a “healthy” version of the craving. And honestly, I think we nailed it.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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High Protein Peanut Noodles 🥜🍜💪

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Chicken

Ground Chicken (1lb)
Soy Sauce (2 tbsp)
Oyster Sauce (1 tbsp)
Gochugaru (½ tbsp)
Sugar (½ tbsp)
Salt (to taste)

Peanut Sauce

PB Powder (½ cup)
Soft Tofu (12oz)
Chinese Light Soy Sauce (2 tbsp)
Chinese Dark Soy Sauce (1 tsp)
Rice Vinegar (1 tbsp)
Sesame Oil (½ tbsp)
Garlic (4 cloves)
Ginger (½ inch)
Sugar (1 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
Chicken Bone Brother (½-1 cup)

Other Stuff

Noodles (2 servings or roughly 300-400g)
Cucumber (1)
Green Onion (2)
Neutral Oil (2 tbsp)
Chicken Bone Broth (¼ cup to deglaze)

Preparation:

Protein 🍗💪
- Now the first thing we should talk about is the protein breakdown.
  90 grams of protein per serving is massive BUT it doesn’t taste like a weird “high protein meal”.
- That’s because every ingredient in this recipe is optimized to have more than average protein versus just using a “HIGH PROTEIN” version of one or two ingredients.
Prep 🔪✨

Cheap, Easy, and Ridiculously Good Noodles

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 18:58:10 GMT

Sometimes you need a meal that requires almost nothing from you but still tastes like a really good idea. These chili oil noodles come together in minutes with a handful of simple ingredients, but the flavor is anything but simple. Spicy, savory, garlicky, and ridiculously satisfying—this is the kind of meal you'll make once and immediately wonder why you don't always have the ingredients on hand.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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I honestly can’t thank you enough—what started as a simple idea turned into something I’m so grateful to share with you. Every order, every share, every bit of support means more than you know.

The aprons are officially restocked, so if you missed out before, this is your chance to grab one.

Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

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What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
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Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Chili Oil Noodles 🌶️🍜

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Noodles (2 portions or 400g fresh noodles)
Ground Pork (1 lb)
Garlic (6)
Ginger (½ inch)
Green Onion (4 stalks)
Persian Cucumber (1)
Chili Flakes (3 tbsp)
Chinese Light Soy sauce (2 tbsp)
Chinese Dark Soy Sauce (1 tbsp)
Black Vinegar (1 tbsp)
Sugar (1 tbsp)
Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
White Pepper (to taste)

Preparation:

The Ultimate Authentic Salsa Guide

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 15:15:37 GMT

Once you start making salsa at home, it's hard to go back to the jar. Fresher ingredients, brighter flavors, and endless ways to customize each batch make all the difference. Whether it's pico de gallo, salsa roja, salsa verde, or something in between, this guide will show you how to make a salsa for every occasion.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
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Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Before We Get Started 📌📋

While all of these recipes are super simple and easy to master, you might be like me and need a visual, especially for cutting vegetables.

If you need a more in-depth walkthrough on how to chop up your vegetables, feel free to check out this one right here ⬇️

Pico De Gallo 🍅🧅🌿

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Servings: Roughly 1 quart

Ingredients:

Roma Tomato (6)
White Onion (½)
Jalapeño (1-2)
Cilantro (¼ bush)
Lime Zest (1)
Lime Juice (1)
Salt (to taste)

Hawaiian Mac Salad...the BEST Pasta Salad

Ian Fujimoto — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:39:03 GMT

I know calling something “the best” is a bold move, but I stand by it. Hawaiian mac salad is the kind of side dish that can quietly steal the entire meal - creamy, slightly sweet, perfectly seasoned, and somehow the perfect pairing for just about everything.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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The aprons are officially restocked, so if you missed out before, this is your chance to grab one.

Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

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What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Hawaiian Mac Salad 🌺🍝

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: Party Sized 🎉🍽️

Ingredients:

Macaroni (454g/1 lb)
Rice Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar (¼ tbsp)
Sweet Onion (1)
Carrot (1-2)
Green Onion (4 stalks)
Hellmann’s or Best Foods Mayo (2 cups)
Milk (⅔ cup)
Sugar (2 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Preparation:

The Chicken Pot Pie That Had Everyone Crying

Ian Fujimoto — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:39:22 GMT

Chicken pot pie is already one of the ultimate comfort foods, but topping it with fluffy jalapeño cornbread takes it to another level. Rich, creamy, hearty, and finished with just the right amount of heat, this recipe from Voicemails for Isabelle is the kind of meal that makes you want to go back for seconds before you've even finished your first bowl.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

Apron Alert: RESTOCK!

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I honestly can’t thank you enough—what started as a simple idea turned into something I’m so grateful to share with you. Every order, every share, every bit of support means more than you know.

The aprons are officially restocked, so if you missed out before, this is your chance to grab one.

Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

Click here to get yours!

What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie 🥧🐔🌽

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Chicken Pot Pie

Rotisserie Chicken (2 breasts worth)
Yellow Onion (½)
Carrot (1)
Celery (1 stalk)
Jalapeño (1)
Garlic (4 cloves)
Frozen Peas (⅓ cup)
Thyme (2-3 sprigs)
Sage (2 leaves)
Unsalted Butter (3 tbsp)
All Purpose Flour (3 tbsp)
Chicken Broth (1 ½ cup)
Heavy Cream (½)
Nutmeg (½ tsp)
Chicken Bouillon Powder (2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Cornbread Crust

All Purpose Flour (¾ cup)
Yellow Corn Meal (½ cup)
Baking Powder (¾ tsp)
Baking Soda (¼ tsp)
Cane Sugar (1 tbsp)
Brown Sugar (2 tbsp)
Buttermilk (⅔ cup)
Unsalted Butter (5 tbsp)
Egg (1)
Medium Cheddar Cheese (4oz)
Salt (¾ tsp)
Jalapeño (½)

Preparation:

The Healthy Way to Eat Dessert for Breakfast

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:38:17 GMT

Mornings are hectic enough without having to think about breakfast. That’s where overnight oats come in. A few minutes of prep the night before turns into a creamy, satisfying breakfast that’s ready when you are. Simple, customizable, and surprisingly delicious, they make busy mornings a whole lot easier.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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The aprons are officially restocked, so if you missed out before, this is your chance to grab one.

Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
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Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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A Few Things to Note Before We Get Started 📝

Use rolled oats, not steel-cut oats.
- Steel-cut oats take much longer to soften, just like they take longer to cook on the stove. It’s not impossible to use them, but you’ll need more than just one night in the fridge before they’re ready to eat.
Flavored yogurt is absolutely an option.
- You’re more than welcome to use a flavored Greek yogurt instead of plain. In general, I find vanilla yogurt tastes great, but it can be a little overpowering and make everything taste like it’s 50% vanilla. It’s kind of like adding too much vanilla extract to banana bread—it still tastes good, but suddenly it doesn’t really taste like banana bread anymore.
Low-fat yogurt works too.
- Just keep in mind that the lower the fat content, the thinner the yogurt tends to be. That means your finished oats won’t be quite as thick. If that happens, simply reduce the amount of milk a little until you find the consistency you like.
You don’t have to use maple syrup.
- Honey, sugar-free sweeteners, brown sugar—it’s all fair game.
- Personally, brown sugar is my favorite, but it definitely nudges things a little farther away from the “healthy breakfast” category. Different sweeteners also work better with different flavor combinations, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Storage matters.
- As long as your containers are sealed properly and the rims are clean before closing them up, these should last in the fridge through the end of the week. The one important caveat is to check the expiration dates on your milk and yogurt. If either of them is nearing the end of its life, your oats won’t magically outlast them. Once the dairy goes sour, so do the oats.

Technically speaking, you can keep them longer than five days, but after that they start getting a little too mushy for my liking.

Base Overnight Oats 🥣🌙

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

Base Oats

Rolled Oats (⅔ cup)

Chia Seeds (1 tbsp)
Whole Milk (⅔ cup)
Plain Greek Yogurt (¼ cup)
Maple Syrup (1 tbsp)

Preparation:

A Brief, but Important, Detour
- To make these, I recommend using a 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jar. The wide-mouth version isn’t mandatory, but it does make stirring and eating significantly easier.
  That said, don’t feel like you need to buy anything special. A food storage container, meal-prep container, or even a cleaned-out pasta sauce jar will work just fine.
- The important thing is that it’s at least 16 ounces so you have enough room to stir everything together without launching oats over the sides.
Time to Make Breakfast
- Into your jar, container, or whatever vessel you’ve chosen, add: rolled oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, whole milk, and maple syrup.
- Using a spoon—or, pro tip, a pair of chopsticks—stir everything together until fully combined.
- Once mixed, wipe the rim clean, seal the container, and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
  And, just like that, you’ve got yourself a fantastic overnight oats recipe that’s easy on the wallet, easy on the schedule, and generally keeps you full well into the afternoon (assuming your digestive system and dairy products are on speaking terms).
The Moment of Truth
- The next morning, give everything a quick stir. If the oats are thicker than you’d like, add a teaspoon or two of milk and mix again until you reach your ideal consistency.
- Then, sit back and enjoy a breakfast that saved you time, saved you money, and required almost no effort before your first cup of coffee.

Peanut Butter Cup 🥜🍫

Restaurant-Quality Short Rib Ragu at Home

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:44:34 GMT

There’s a reason short rib ragu shows up on so many restaurant menus. Tender, slow-cooked beef and a rich, deeply flavorful sauce come together to create the ultimate comfort food. It sounds fancy, but most of the work is simply letting time do its thing. The result is a restaurant-quality pasta dish that's surprisingly achievable at home.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

Apron Alert: RESTOCK ON 5/28!

Sold out… and now we’re BACK 🤍

I honestly can’t thank you enough—what started as a simple idea turned into something I’m so grateful to share with you. Every order, every share, every bit of support means more than you know.

The aprons are officially restocked, so if you missed out before, this is your chance to grab one.

Hit the link below and get yours while they’re still available 🥹

Click here to get yours!

What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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On behalf of myself and my family, thank you for subscribing—whether you’re reading along for free or supporting me with a paid subscription, I truly appreciate you. Your support keeps this work going and makes creating recipes, guides, and resources for you possible.

Tools I Use…

Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu 🍲🍝🥩

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 75 minutes

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

Ragu

Beef Chuck Roast (2 lbs)
Yellow Onion (1)
Carrot (3)
Celery (2 stalks)
Garlic (6-8 cloves)
Crushed Tomatoes (28oz can)
Parmigiano-Reggiano Rind (1 if you have it)
Tomato Paste (3 tbsp)
Red Pepper Flakes (2 tsp)
Rosemary (2 sprigs)
Thyme (8-9 sprigs)
Bay Leaf (2)
Cabernet Sauvignon or other Dry Red Wine (1 ½ cups)
Beef Broth (2 cups)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp)
Olive Oil (2 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Pasta (From Scratch)

Tipo 00 Flour (500g)
Egg (5)
Salt (¼ tsp)
Water (as needed)

Garnish

Parmigiano-Reggiano (to taste)
Basil (to taste)

Preparation:

How to Cook on Stainless Steel

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 23 May 2026 15:45:25 GMT

Cooking on stainless steel can feel impossible at first. Everything sticks, cleanup is annoying, and it honestly feels like the pan is working against you. But once you understand a few simple tricks, it becomes one of the best pans you can cook with—and way less intimidating than people make it seem.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on YouTube!

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Truly, thank you for being here 🤍

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Tools I Use…

Pots and Pans
Home Goods! Seriously, great prices on individual pans!

The important thing to look for is a multi-clad design.

That just means it’s made of multiple layers of steel (and sometimes aluminum). It doesn’t hurt to have an ergonomic handle that’s comfortable for you to use. Lastly, if you can avoid it, don’t buy a set. You likely won’t need every pot and pan in the set and it’s cheaper if you just buy the individual pieces that you need.

Why Stainless Steel Feels Hard - and Why Food Sticks 🍳🤔

Cooking with Stainless Steel can sometimes feel like you’re fighting for your life and somehow you’re losing.

You do what every influencer on the internet has told you to do: preheat your pan, add in your oil, drop in your food, and instead of getting a beautiful golden brown sear you were promised, your steak refuses to move or your fish tears in half or your eggs turn into a whole new coating on the inside of your pan, that make you question if you’ll ever be able to get it clean again.

But honestly the problem usually isn’t the pan.

The problem is that Stainless Steel doesn’t cover for you the way that nonstick does. With nonstick, it’s designed to be forgiving, but stainless steel is designed to be honest.

So if your pan is too cold, too hot, your food is too wet, or you just start poking at your food too early (like a kid at a pet store with his finger in the gerbil enclosure or cage), you are going to regret it.

Most of the time food sticking comes down to a handful of things:

Poor preheating
Too much moisture
Not enough fat
Bad heat control
Flat out impatience

Wet food will steam instead of searing.

A pan that isn’t fully preheated won’t create the barrier needed between the food and the metal.

Too much heat can burn the outside of your food before it has a chance to naturally release.

Not enough fat means there’s no coating in between the bare metal and your food.

And, the most common one, is if you try to move something before a crust forms you’re usually going to rip it instead of flip it.

I know that probably seems like a lot, but …

it’s actually incredibly helpful because the sticking isn’t random. It might feel random when you don’t know what’s happening, but once you understand the basics, stainless steel cooking becomes a lot less intimidating and you can start to understand how to avoid a ruined meal.

Why Stainless Steel is Worth Learning 🏆🤝

So now for the obvious question: if stainless steel is less forgiving then why bother even using it?

Honest answer:

There’s not really a specific end-all be-all reason. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I never cook on anything but stainless steel. That would be a lie. What I will tell you is that once you understand how it works, stainless steel becomes one of the most versatile pans in your kitchen.

Every Type of Pan has its Drawbacks 🤷⚖️

Non-stick can be great when making eggs, reheating leftovers, or just wanting the convenience of not having to worry about something sticking; but, it also has its limits.

That coat will wear down over time.

If you heat your pan with high heat or scratch it with a metal tool then that coating gets released into your food and then sticks around in your body (I don’t really know the science of it, and quite honestly, I’m not too worried about it, since I eat a lot of hot dogs and processed foods as it is. So, a little Teflon here and there is probably the least of my concerns).

Cast iron and carbon steel are also great. They are virtually indestructible, they hold heat incredibly well, and can truly last you forever, but it also has its downsides.

They can be extremely heavy so if you're not physically able to move one around then that's no good.

They also require more maintenance to keep clean and maintain a non-stick like surface.

If you even think about leaving it in the sink overnight with a little water just to loosen up some of that stuck food then I guarantee you, that before you wake up that pan will turn into a bucket of rust and then you'll have to spend a good amount of elbow grease scraping away all the rust and then re-seasoning it (I know that sounds pretty awful, but I will say cast iron and carbon steel have a special place in my heart and if you're interested I'm happy to do a video and a write up about those too. Just let me know 😉)

Now as far as stainless steel goes, it kind of sits right in the middle.

It’s pretty indestructible and you don’t have to worry about it rusting or it scratching. When treated right it can be non-stick. It’s durable, versatile, cooking-free, and in a way sort of like the Swiss Army Knife of pans.

You can cook just about anything in it at higher heat than a non-stick pan and you don’t have to worry about seasoning it. Plus, stainless steel gives you something that a lot of other pans won’t - which is a fond (we’ll get into that later).

The real biggest reason stainless steel is worth learning is because it doesn’t just cook your food, it helps make your food better.

The trade-off? You have to pay a little bit more attention when you’re cooking, but like any good relationship, I promise you it’s worth it!

The Rules 📋🧑‍🍳

Now, before we get into the actual cooking, we need to talk about the rules because stainless steel is not one of those pans where you can just throw food in, hope for the best, and expect it to work out.

It doesn’t need to be hard, but it will be specific.

Once you understand what your pan and the food you’re cooking in it need, stainless steel will become a lot less intimidating.

Rule #1: Pan Quality Matters 💪🏆

The Only Onigiri Guide You’ll Need

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 09 May 2026 16:32:35 GMT

There’s something about onigiri that just makes eating more fun. Warm rice wrapped around flavorful fillings, packed into the perfect handheld bite—it’s comforting, customizable, and way easier to make at home than you’d think.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

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Tools I Use…

Traditional Onigiri 🍙✨

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 40-50 minutes (mostly due to rice)

Servings: 6-7

Ingredients:

Rice (6-7 onigiri)

Short/Medium Grain Japanese Rice (3 rice cooker cups or 2 ¼ standard cups)
Water (fill to 3 line or 2 ½ cups)

Spicy Tuna

Canned Tuna
Kewpie Mayo (1 ½ tbsp)
Sriracha (1 tsp)
Sesame Oil (¼ tsp)
Salt (to taste)

Nori

Nori (1-4 sheets depending on how your wrap)

Preparation:

The Real "NO-FUSS" Breakfast Meal Prep

Ian Fujimoto — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:03:19 GMT

Breakfast is one of those meals that’s way too easy to skip or rush through. But having something ready to go that’s actually filling and tastes good? Game changer. These breakfast bowls are easy to prep, packed with everything you need, and make your mornings way less chaotic.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
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Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Breakfast Bowl Meal Prep

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

Sausage

Ground Pork 80/20 (2 lbs)
Thyme (1 tbsp)
Sage (7-8 leaves)
Garlic (2 cloves)
Smoked Paprika (½ tsp)
Cayenne Pepper (¼ tsp)
Fennel Seeds (2 tsp)
Nutmeg (¼ tsp)
Salt (2 tsp)
Black Pepper (1 tsp)
Maple Syrup (2 tbsp)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tsp)

Veggies

Red Bell Pepper (1)
Green Bell Pepper (1)
Yellow Onion (1)
Yukon Gold Potato (2 lbs)
Spinach (2-3 cups)
Lemon Juice (1 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Eggs

Egg (10)

Preparation:

Your New Go-To Shoyu Ramen Recipe

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:42:06 GMT

There’s something about a bowl of shoyu ramen that just feels like comfort in its purest form. It looks like it took hours and a ton of effort, but it’s actually way more doable at home than you’d think. Deep, savory broth, perfectly chewy noodles, and all the toppings that make every bite better than the last—this is the kind of meal you don’t need a ramen shop for to get right.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
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Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Shoyu Ramen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Tare

Shoyu (3 tbsp)
Mirin (2 tsp)
Sugar (1 tsp)
Optional MSG (¼ tsp)
Salt (2 tsp)

Aromatic Oil

Chicken Fat or Neutral Oil (4 tbsp)
Green Onions (4)
Ginger (½ inch knob)
Garlic (3-4 cloves)

Broth

Water (6 cups)
Instant Dashi Powder (1 ½ tbsp)
Chicken Bouillon Powder (2 tsp)

Toppings

Fresh Noodles (2 serving or g)
Kamaboko (4-6 slices)
Egg (2)
Green Onion (the unused greens from the oil)
Nori (1 sheet)

Pork

Pork Belly (200g)
Shoyu (2 tbsp)
Oyster Sauce (1 tbsp)
Mirin (1 tbsp)
Brown Sugar (1 tbsp)
Water (½ cup)

Preparation:

Stop Ignoring Cottage Cheese - Here's Why I Did

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:29:42 GMT

I know… cottage cheese doesn’t exactly scream “can’t wait to eat that.” Honestly, I don’t even like it—there’s something about the texture that just feels off. But give me a chance. We’re turning it into recipes that are flavorful, and actually kind of addictive.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve each dish!

Apron Alert: SOLD OUT … again!

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What started as a simple idea turned into something way bigger because of YOU. Every order, every share, every bit of support means the world to me.

If you missed out, don’t worry! Hit the link to get notified the second they’re back so you don’t miss it again.

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Click here to be notified when they return

What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Queso 🧀🔥

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Low Fat Cottage Cheese (16oz)
Cheddar Cheese (2oz)
Monterey Jack Cheese (4oz)
Nutritional Yeast (½ tbsp)
Smoked Paprika (¼ tsp)
Chili Powder (¼ tsp)
Ground Cumin (¼ tsp)
Garlic Powder (½ tsp)
Onion Powder (½ tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Whole Milk (optional to thin)

Preparation:

Easy & Affordable Big Mac Meal Prep

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:11:41 GMT

There’s a reason the Big Mac is a classic—I’ll always love one, it just hits every time. But instead of making a drive-thru run, we’re turning it into a bowl you can prep at home. Same savory, tangy, saucy goodness, just fresher, easier, and ready whenever the craving hits.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

Apron Alert: SOLD OUT … again!

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What started as a simple idea turned into something way bigger because of YOU. Every order, every share, every bit of support means the world to me.

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Big Mac Bowl 🍔🥬🍅🧀

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

Burger

Ground Beef 80/20 (1 ¾ lb)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Beef Tallow (1 tbsp)
American Cheese (5 slices)
Yellow Mustard (½ tsp)

Potato Base

Yukon Gold Potato (2 ½ lb)
Baking Soda (½ tsp)
Garlic Powder (1 tsp)
Onion Powder (½ tsp)
Beef Tallow (3 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Sauce

Mayonnaise (1 cup)
Sweet Pickle Relish (¼ cup)
Dusseldorf or Dijon Mustard (2 tbsp)
Distilled White Vinegar (1 tsp)
Sweet Paprika (1 ¼ tsp)
Onion Powder (1 tsp)
Granulated Garlic (1 tsp)
White Pepper (⅛ tsp)
Optional Sugar (½ tsp)

Topping

Iceberg Lettuce (½ head)
White Onion (¼)
Pickles (2-3 spears)
Roma Tomato (1)
Sesame Seeds (to taste)

Preparation:

Thick Pancakes...Whipped Maple Butter...Berry Compote

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:08:15 GMT

There’s nothing worse than expecting thick, fluffy pancakes and ending up with flat, lifeless ones instead. We’re not doing that here. We’re making the kind that stack high, stay soft, and soak up all the syrup like they were built for it. Thick, fluffy, and almost too good to share.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

Apron Alert: SOLD OUT … again!

Sold out again … and I seriously can’t thank you enough 🥹

What started as a simple idea turned into something way bigger because of YOU. Every order, every share, every bit of support means the world to me.

If you missed out, don’t worry! Hit the link to get notified the second they’re back so you don’t miss it again.

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What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Whipped Maple Cinnamon Butter 🍁🧈🤎

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2 sticks of butter worth

Ingredients:

Heavy Cream (2 cups) OR Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
Maple Syrup (2 tbsp)
Vanilla Extract (2 tsp)
Maple Sugar (3 tbsp) OR Powdered Sugar (¼ cup)
Ground Cinnamon (1 tsp)
Salt (½ tsp)

Your Favorite Fast-Food Sauces At Home

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 16:53:04 GMT

There’s something about fast food sauces that just hits different. You can recreate the meal all you want, but without the sauce? It’s just not the same. And let’s be honest—the fries and nuggets are really just vehicles anyway. So instead of stocking up on extra packets, we’re making your favorite fast food sauces at home. Same iconic flavors, no drive-thru, and absolutely no limits.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve each one!

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What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Things to Know Before 📝👀

Now, one of the most common questions I get anytime I make a sauce is,

“How long is it good for?”

Unfortunately, I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all answer—but I can give you the tools to figure it out yourself.

When you’re making a sauce, you want to look at the ingredients you’re putting into it. That’s what’s going to determine how long it lasts.

For example, if your sauce uses mayonnaise, check the expiration date on the mayo. A safe rule of thumb is that your sauce shouldn’t outlast the earliest expiration date of any ingredient you used—so whichever ingredient expires first is your cutoff.

Now, I know some of us treat expiration dates more like suggestions… I am definitely one of those people.

I’m not recommending that—you should follow the dates—

BUT, I’m just being honest about what I personally do.

Wingstop Ranch 🥛🌿

Recreating Your Favorite Panda Express Meal

Ian Fujimoto — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:38:04 GMT

We all have our “default” Panda Express order. You walk in, you don’t even look at the menu (you should definitely still ask for samples of the same thing you order every time), and five minutes later you’re walking out with the same glorious combo you always get. Today we’re recreating that exact meal at home—no line and no judgment for going heavy on the orange chicken.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve each one!

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What you get with a paid subscription to the Not a Chef newsletter:

All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.

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Tools I Use…

Super Greens 🥦🥬✨

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Servings: 4 (as a side)

Ingredients:

Broccoli (1 head)
Cabbage (¼ head)
Kale (3-4 stems)
Garlic (6 cloves)
Chinese Light Soy Sauce (2 tbsp)
Chicken Stock (½ cup)
Sugar (1 ½ tsp)
Neutral Oil (2 tbsp)

Preparation:

Prep
- Start by cutting the florets off of your broccoli head. You can make these as big or small as you want, but just keep in mind that if you make them too big, then sometimes they can be harder to eat.
- Then you’ll go ahead and roughly chop your cabbage into a large dice. I find the best way to do that is:
  - After you halve and then quarter your cabbage head, cut out the core.
  - Cut that quarter into three long strips.
  - Then cut those strips into squares.
- The last of our green things is our kale. Now personally I think kale is pretty awful, but if you like kale, good on you.
- Start by slicing or tearing the leaves off the stems and then roughly chop them to be about the size of your cabbage pieces. This part is really important: you’re going to massage your kale with your hands for three to four minutes.
  I know this sounds ridiculous, but it helps to reduce the bitterness.
- After that, you can go ahead and give the kale a thorough rinsing. You should be washing all of your vegetables, but in particular your kale because it will help to remove that bitterness, and then thoroughly dry it.
- Now in the original recipe there is no garlic, but I think that the super greens need garlic. Go ahead and roughly chop your garlic cloves and set those to the side in a separate bowl.
Cook
- In a large wok or whatever pan you plan to cook this in (it doesn’t matter too much just as long as you have a lid), you’re going to preheat on high heat.
- Then you can add in your neutral oil and make sure it’s nicely spread so nothing sticks. Follow it up with your roughly chopped garlic. Keep your garlic moving in your hot pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Then add in your Chinese light soy sauce, chicken stock, and sugar and stir it all together.
- Next, add in your medley of greens, then cover and reduce your heat down to medium and let steam for five minutes. Once finished steaming, go ahead and give your super greens a few quick tosses and you’re ready to go.

Chow Mein 🍜🥢

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Servings: 4 (as a side)

Ingredients:

Cooked Chow Mein/Yakisoba Noodles (1 lb)
Yellow Onion (¼)
Celery (2 stalks)
Cabbage (¼ head)

Chinese Light Soy Sauce (2 tbsp)
Chinese Dark Soy Sauce (1 tbsp)
Oyster Sauce (2 tbsp)
Brown Sugar (2 tsp)
White Pepper (to taste)
Neutral Oil (2 tbsp)

Preparation:

Creamy Mushroom Ravioli

Ian Fujimoto — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:39:48 GMT

For all my late millennials and early Gen Z’s, you might recognize this dish from the first installment in the Twilight series. It’s an almost exact replica of the dish Bella gets on her first date with Edward. A handmade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and sauteed mushrooms, glazed in a creamy bechamel with slivers of mushroom and specks of torn parsley. It’s really freakin’ good.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve each one!

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All my recipes, fully unlocked—every single one.
Direct access to me for questions—no judgment, even if your last attempt was a “kitchen experiment.”
Community chat access to swap tips, share photos, and celebrate (or commiserate over) your cooking wins.
Ability to comment on any post—your insights, questions, and feedback are always welcome.
join us ... you know you want to
On behalf of myself and my family, thank you for subscribing—whether you’re reading along for free or supporting me with a paid subscription, I truly appreciate you. Your support keeps this work going and makes creating recipes, guides, and resources for you possible.

Tools I Used

Pots & Pans
Knives
KitchenAid Mixer
Pasta Rolling Attachment (this is the official one but you can certainly find third-party options that are way cheaper )
Everything Else

Mushroom Ravioli

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Pasta

00 Flour (200g)

Egg (1 whole + 4 yolks)
Salt (¼ tsp)

Filling

Baby Bella Mushrooms (3-4)
Shallot (1 small)
Italian Parsley (1 tbsp)
Ricotta (1 cup)
Parmigiano Reggiano (1 cup grated)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Sauce

Shitake Mushroom (3-4)
Garlic (4 cloves)
Unsalted Butter (3 tbsp)
Heavy Cream (1 ½ cup)
Parmigiano Reggiano (¾ cup grated)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Nutmeg (½ tsp)

Other

Olive Oil (1-2 tbsp)
Italian Parsley (for garnish)

Preparation:

Dough Boy
- Now, the first thing you want to make sure is that your work surface is clean. You’re most likely going to need to use your countertop (unless you have tiled counters, in which case use a cutting board), so make sure that it is fully clean.
- Then you can start by pouring your flour into a little mountain on your work surface and create a well in the center, similar to a volcano (like Diamond Head, not Pompeii).
- Now crack your eggs into a small bowl, making sure to remove any shells and to only include one egg white or one whole egg. Then carefully pour those eggs into your flour volcano. (Alternatively, you could just crack them directly into your flour volcano, but if you accidentally let an extra egg white fall in, it can be a pain in the butt to remove.)
- Then sprinkle on your salt.
- Now, using a fork, you’re going to very carefully whisk your eggs without breaking your flour wall. Once the yolks are nicely broken up, you can start to incorporate your flour little by little. Do this by using your fork to toss in a little flour from around the edge as you whisk. You want to do this gradually, because if you try to do too much, then you’ll end up with your egg spilling out.
- Once your eggs and flour are all incorporated, you can use your hands to start kneading your dough. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but the easiest way is to press down and forward on your dough, then fold it over, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat.
- Do this for about three minutes, or until your dough can form a smooth ball and, when you press your finger into that ball, the dough bounces back.
- Then just wrap that ball in plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
Cutting
- Start by double-checking your mushroom packages to see if they need to be washed first. Sometimes they’re pre-washed and ready to eat, and other times you’ll need to wash them yourself. Personally, I find the best way to wash them is just to wipe them down with a damp paper towel.
- Now you can remove and discard the stems from your baby bell mushrooms and slice the heads into thin slices, about 2–3 credit cards thick. Then lay those slices flat in 2–3 stacks and cut them into matchsticks. From there, cut those matchsticks into a fine dice. Then just set those to the side in a small bowl.
- Now take your shallot and finely dice that as well. If you have a preferred method, by all means go for it. But if not, I would recommend: Slicing it into thirds horizontally; slicing into strips starting at the base of the root and going all the way through the head; rotating it 90 degrees and cutting it into a fine dice.
- Then just add that to the same bowl as your baby bell mushrooms. (In full honesty, I don’t really know of a good way to describe that just through words, so let me know if you’d like me to start making visuals for these sorts of things.)
- Now take your shiitake mushrooms and remove and discard the stems if they aren’t already. We are going to cut them into thin slices and place them into a new bowl.
- For our garlic, go ahead and crush the cloves with a heavy pot or the side of a bench scraper. Remove the husks and then roughly chop. Add those to the same bowl as your shiitake mushrooms.
- The last bit of chopping we’re going to do is our Italian parsley. Trim the leaves off of your bundle and then, using your sharpest knife, rock over the parsley to chop it into tiny bits. Then either leave that on your cutting board or place it into a new bowl.
Filling Prep
- Now, in a preheated skillet on medium-high heat, drizzle in your olive oil, followed by your bowl with the baby bell mushrooms and shallot, and a pinch of salt. Using a spatula, keep that all moving in your pan for about five minutes, until your mushrooms have cooked down and your shallots have become soft and translucent.
- Then you can remove that and place it back into your bowl.
- Now, into that bowl, add in your chopped Italian parsley (not all of it — you’ll need some for later), ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano (preferably freshly grated, but just don’t use the stuff you put on pizza), salt, and black pepper. Then, using a spoon, mix it all together until it’s fully combined.
- Now, this part is technically optional, but I would highly recommend moving your filling into a zip-top bag or a piping bag. You can definitely portion it out by hand, but it makes it so much easier to just use a bag.
Dough Rolling
- (Related to dough rolling, but this is a great time to fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil so it’s ready when your raviolis are finished.)
- Now, at this point, your dough should be fully rested and ready to work. Unwrap your dough and divide it into two parts. Wrap one of those parts up and set it to the side, because the dough will be easier to work with in a smaller size.
- Now, you don’t need a pasta roller for this. You can technically do this by hand with a manual roller or wooden dowel, but it is a royal pain. And I would literally never recommend making this unless you have a pasta roller. So I’m just going to assume that you have one. (And it can be the manual crank — it doesn’t have to be the KitchenAid attachment.)
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll your dough around in it so that way it’s got a nice layer coating the outside. Then flatten it out into a thick pancake.
- With your pasta roller on its lowest (thickest) setting, roll your dough through slowly but steadily. After it rolls through once, carefully feed it in and roll it through again.
- Then adjust it to one notch thinner (2) and roll it through. Adjust it one notch thinner again (3) and roll it through.
- At this point, take your dough sheet and fold it over on itself twice, like you would a trifold wallet or brochure. Now adjust your pasta roller setting back to the thickest size (1) and feed your dough through to laminate.
- (You can technically do this process 2–3 times to improve the texture, but quite honestly, doing it once is plenty for good pasta.)
- Now again feed it through at the thickest size (1), then adjust your roller one size thinner (2) and run it through twice. Repeat this process all the way to size 4 or 5, depending on how thick you like it.
- Then repeat the entire process with your second dough half.
Fill and Press
- Now take your dough sheet and lay it flat on your work surface. With the dough sheet laying flat, take your ravioli cutter and make very light indentations on the dough so that way you know where to place your filling. (You are not cutting the dough — you’re simply marking it as a reference.)
- If you got the same exact ravioli press that I did, then you’ll need to stagger them. But if you got a smaller press or are cutting by hand, you can most likely place them squared up.
- Once your dough is marked, take your bag of filling (or your bowl and spoon, if you decided not to go with the bag method) and squeeze a little over a tablespoon of filling right in the center of each indentation. (It may be more or less if you use a different size ravioli.)
- Once you have filled each spot, carefully lay your second sheet of dough on top. Starting at one end, drag your finger down the center to create a seal in between the raviolis. Then, for each ravioli, work your way around to seal each one individually.
- Once each one is sealed, go ahead and line up your press so your filling is dead center. Press firmly and rotate. You should be left with an individual ravioli that is sealed perfectly.
- If you notice there’s an air bubble in your ravioli, that’s okay. Just use your fingers to work it out toward one of the edges.
- Then repeat this process with your entire sheet of raviolis and cover them with a damp towel until we’re ready to cook them.
- Now, technically speaking, you could ball up and run the dough scraps through your press again to make more raviolis. However, I find that by that point, the dough has been overworked, and it’s really not worth it.
Cook
- Now back in that same pan that we cooked down our baby bell mushrooms and shallot, place it on medium heat. Once preheated, add in your unsalted butter, followed by your shiitake mushrooms and minced garlic, keeping everything moving around the pan.
- Let these cook down just until your garlic is starting to become fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. But more importantly, don’t let your butter brown.
- Then add in your heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add in your Parmigiano Reggiano (preferably freshly grated, but definitely not the pizza stuff) and fold it all together until your sauce is nice and creamy.
- Cook this down until you’ve reached your desired thickness. Once thickened to your liking, add salt and black pepper to taste, as well as freshly ground (or not) nutmeg.
- Then turn your heat off and let it sit while we cook our raviolis.
- In that pot of boiling water you started earlier, add a hefty pinch of salt. Carefully lay in your raviolis. Don’t walk away, because these will only take about 2–3 minutes to cook. You’ll know they’re done once they’re floating.
Assembly
- On your plate, lay down and spread a spoonful of your sauce. Then place your raviolis on top, finish with more sauce, and a sprinkle of your fresh parsley.

Boxed Mac & Cheese Like You've Never Had It Before

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:10:59 GMT

There is absolutely no shame in boxed mac and cheese. It’s affordable, it’s easy, and it hits every time. But if you’ve got 10 extra minutes and a couple fridge staples? You can turn it into three completely different meals that feel intentional — not “I gave up at 8:47pm.”

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve each one!

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Level 1 - The Sleeper Mac & Cheese 🥱➡️🤯

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

Box Mac and Cheese (1)
Medium Cheddar Cheese (2 oz)
Gruyere Cheese (2 oz)
Cream Cheese (¼ cup) for thicker and richer
Sour Cream (¼ cup) thinner and silkier
Green Onions (2 stalks)
Salt (to taste)
Water (6 cups)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp)
Whole Milk (¼ cup)

Preparation:

Prep
- The first thing you’re going to want to do is fill your pot with six cups of water and set it to a boil (that way it’s ready to go as soon as we’re done prepping).
- Now you can shred your medium cheddar cheese and your Gruyère cheese. If you can, PLEASE use block cheese or freshly sliced cheese from the deli counter because pre-shredded cheese is going to have potato starch or corn starch coating that will make your cheese sauce grainy and too thick.
- Then we can thinly slice some green onions and set those to the side to garnish at the end.
Cook
- Now once your water is boiling, go ahead and add in a hefty pinch of salt, followed by your dried macaroni. Let that cook for right around six minutes, making sure to stir every minute or so so that way nothing sticks to the bottom and your pot doesn’t overflow (trust me, that’s the absolute worst).
- Once it’s finished cooking, use a cup or small bowl to capture some of that pasta water; then you can strain off your cooked pasta in a colander strainer.
- Now, placing your pot back on low heat, go ahead and add in your unsalted butter, whole milk, grated cheeses, and our beloved cheese packet.
- At this point, you have a decision to make:
  Do you want your mac and cheese to be a little thicker and richer, or do you want it to be a little thinner and silkier?
- Depending on what you’ve decided, you’ll either add in your cream cheese (for thicker and richer) or sour cream (for thinner and silkier).
- Then on low heat, you’ll continue to stir all this up until that cheese is melted and incorporated, adding in a tablespoon of your reserved pasta water at a time to help emulsify and get your sauce to the right consistency you’re looking for.
- Once it’s fully melted and emulsified, you can go ahead and add back in your cooked macaroni and carefully fold it all together.
Plate
- Now you can go ahead and move it to a plate once that macaroni is fully coated in that gooey and stringy cheese, and garnish the top with those thinly sliced green onions.

Level 2 - Cheese Burger Mac & Cheese 🔥🍔🧀

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

Box Mac and Cheese (1)
Medium Cheddar Cheese (2 oz)
American Cheese (2 oz)
Yellow Onion (¼)
Ground Beef (½ lb)
Bacon (2-3 slices)
Neutral Oil/Beef Tallow (2 tbsp)
Salt (to taste)
Water (6 cups)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp)
Whole Milk (¼ cup)

Seasoning

Granulated Garlic (½ tsp)
Onion Powder (½ tsp)
Smoked Paprika (½ tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Preparation:

Prep
- Again, the first thing we are going to want to do is start by boiling six cups of water.
- Now we can go ahead and give our yellow onion a rough dice. This can be as large or small of a dice as you prefer (when I think about onions on a burger, there really is no set size). So many different places cut their onions in different sizes, so it’s really more about what you prefer.
- If you’d like a guide on how to cut an onion—or really any vegetable—go ahead and click right here.
- Once those are cut, you can go ahead and add those to a bowl.
- Then you’ll go ahead and slice your bacon into pieces about half an inch thick, no larger or thicker than a finger width, adding those to the bowl with your onions.
- Then also into that bowl, you’ll add in your ground beef.
- Now to season this, you can use any sort of premade seasoning blend that you prefer: SPG, Lawry’s—just as long as it’s a generic all-purpose seasoning. Or if you want to, you can season it yourself with granulated garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Once it’s seasoned, go ahead and mix all of that beef, bacon, and onion together to make sure your seasoning is coated all the way through.
- The last bit of prep we need to do is to grate our cheeses, starting with our medium cheddar cheese and then our American cheese.
  Remember, if you can avoid it, don’t use pre-shredded cheese.
- If for some reason you’re unable to grate your own cheese, then go to the deli counter and get freshly sliced cheese that you can then just cut up into thin strips.
Cook
- Now at this point, your water should be boiling, so you can go ahead and add in your hefty pinches of salt, followed by your dried macaroni. Let that cook for six minutes, stirring every minute or so. Once your pasta is finished cooking, remember to reserve a little bit of pasta water before straining.
- While that pasta is cooking, you are going to preheat a small pan. Preheat a ten-inch pan to medium-high heat and add in your neutral oil, followed by your beef mixture. Make sure to flatten it out as best you can to make sure you’re getting maximum coverage so that way you get maximum searage.
- After two minutes on that first side, you can go ahead and flip and start breaking up all of your meat.
- The important thing here is that you also have bacon in this mix, so try to make sure that none of that bacon gets pushed to the top because if that happens, it’s going to end up being chewy. You want to make sure you’re getting good contact with your bacon so that way it cooks all the way through at the same rate your ground beef does. You could also just cook your bacon separately, but it’s not necessary.
- After another two to three minutes, your meat mixture should be cooked all the way through, and you can remove it all into a bowl.
- Now in that pot you boiled your pasta in, place it on low heat and add in your unsalted butter, milk, shredded cheeses, and cheese powder. Mix that all together until your cheese is fully melted and your sauce is emulsified (feel free to add in a tablespoon of your reserved pasta water at a time to help with that emulsion and sauce thickness).
- Then you can add in your cooked pasta as well as your meat mixture. When you’re adding in that beef, bacon, and onion, make sure you are scooping it from the bowl instead of dumping the whole bowl because at the bottom there’s going to be a lot of drained grease that you don’t want to add into your mac and cheese.
- Then all you need to do is carefully fold it all together.
Plate
- To serve this up, I recommend just a large spoon and a towel to hold the pot as you scarf this down on the couch (but if you don’t want to be like me, then I guess you could just put it in a bowl and eat it with a fork or whatever).

Level 3 - Pizza Mac & Cheese 🍕🔥🧀

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

Box Mac and Cheese (1)
Fontina (4 oz)
Cream Cheese (¼ cup)
Sun dried tomatoes (5-6 slivers)
Tomato Paste (1 tsp)
Garlic Powder (½ tsp)
Dried Oregano (½ tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Water (6 cups)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp)
Whole Milk (¼ cup)

Toppings

Sliced Mozzarella (4 oz)
Pepperoni (60g)
Parmigiano Reggiano (to taste)
Basil (3-4 leaves)

Preparation:

Prep
- To start off, you want to fill a pot with six cups of water and bring that to a boil; then we can grate our fontina cheese. I’m gonna sound like a broken record here, but please don’t use pre-shredded cheese (although I don’t think I’ve ever seen pre-shredded fontina). If you can’t find fontina at your deli counter to get sliced, then no worries. You can also just use a knife and slice it really thin as well.
  Boom—that’s all the prep.
Cook
- Once your water is boiling, add in a hefty pinch of salt, followed by your dried pasta, and let that cook for 6 minutes. Make sure to stir it every minute or so so that your pasta doesn’t stick, and then once it’s finished, you can reserve some pasta water and strain out the rest.
- Now while you wait for that pasta to cook, we can go ahead and start making our sauce. Instead of using our pot, we’re going to need a 10-inch stainless steel oven-safe skillet (that way this will give us the most surface area to build our “pizza”). Start on low heat and add in your unsalted butter, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Cook this down for about two minutes until that raw tomato paste has lost its smell.
- Then you can add in your whole milk, followed by your cheese packet, your shredded cheese, as well as your cream cheese. Now carefully stir all this together until your cheeses have fully melted and emulsified into your sauce. Feel free to add in a tablespoon at a time of that reserved pasta water to help with that emulsification and to get it to the right consistency.
- Once it’s fully melted and emulsified, you can add in your cooked pasta and very carefully fold it all together (I really mean very carefully because we’re doing this in a skillet and not a pot, so it’s really easy to accidentally fling some of your macaroni out onto the countertop). Once it’s nicely mixed, go ahead and kill your heat and flatten out your macaroni.
- At this point, you can layer the top with your fresh sliced mozzarella as well as your pepperonis.
  Truthfully, you can top it with whatever you want. Treat it like a pizza if you want: onions, chicken, Italian sausage, olives—THEN GO FOR IT. If it’s something that needs to be cooked, just know that it needs to be cooked before you add it to the top of your “pizza.”
- Once it’s fully dressed, you can throw it into the oven directly under your broiler for three to four minutes, or just until your mozzarella is melted.
Plate
- Now once you’ve taken your mac and cheese out of the oven, go ahead and finish it with a few leaves of torn basil and a fresh grate of Parmigiano-Reggiano. I do recommend eating this one immediately because, like a pizza, once that mozzarella on top cools down, it’s not very cheese-pull-y anymore.

Spring Roll Bowl Meal Prep

Ian Fujimoto — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:35:07 GMT

Spring roll bowls are the dream—fresh veggies, tender protein, and that perfect crunch—but let’s be honest: prepping them for the week usually ends with wilted greens and sad, soggy rice. Here’s the good news: with a few simple tricks, you can keep every bowl colorful, crisp, and totally tasty from Monday through Friday. Meal prep just got a major glow-up.

Want a visual? Please check out my full video on how I prep and serve this dish!

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Spring Roll Bowls

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

Lemongrass BBQ Chicken

Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thigh (1 lb)
Lemon Grass (¼ cup minced)
Garlic (2 cloves)
Shallot (½)
Chinese Light Soy Sauce (2 tbsp)
Fish Sauce (3 tbsp)
Oyster Sauce (1 tbsp)
Honey (2 tbsp)
Brown Sugar (2 tbsp)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Shrimp

Shrimp (1 lb)
Salt (to taste)

Toppings

Vermicelli Noodles (300g dried)
Romaine Lettuce (2 Heads)
Persian Cucumbers (3)
Carrot (2)
Bean Sprout (2 cups)
Cilantro or Mint (1 bundle)
Crushed Peanuts (to taste)

Peanut Sauce Dressing

Creamy Peanut Butter (½ cup)
Hoisin (2 tbsp)
Chinese Light Soy Sauce (4 tbsp)
Mirin (2 tbsp)
Sweet Chili Sauce (4 tbsp)
Water (to taste)

Not a Chef

Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo with Perfectly Tender Salmon

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Lemon Garlic Orzo with Salmon

Ingredients:

Salmon

Orzo

Garnish

Preparation:

One of the reasons I really love this recipe is that there is so little prep, but the result looks like you’ve been grinding away in the kitchen for hours.

High Protein Noodles that Taste Like Takeout

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High Protein Peanut Noodles 🥜🍜💪

Ingredients:

Chicken

Peanut Sauce

Other Stuff

Preparation:

90 grams of protein per serving is massive BUT it doesn’t taste like a weird “high protein meal”.

Cheap, Easy, and Ridiculously Good Noodles

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Chili Oil Noodles 🌶️🍜

Ingredients:

Preparation:

The Ultimate Authentic Salsa Guide

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Before We Get Started 📌📋

While all of these recipes are super simple and easy to master, you might be like me and need a visual, especially for cutting vegetables.

Pico De Gallo 🍅🧅🌿

Ingredients:

Hawaiian Mac Salad...the BEST Pasta Salad

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Hawaiian Mac Salad 🌺🍝

Ingredients:

Preparation:

The Chicken Pot Pie That Had Everyone Crying

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Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie 🥧🐔🌽

Ingredients:

Chicken Pot Pie

Cornbread Crust

Preparation:

The Healthy Way to Eat Dessert for Breakfast

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A Few Things to Note Before We Get Started 📝

Technically speaking, you can keep them longer than five days, but after that they start getting a little too mushy for my liking.

Base Overnight Oats 🥣🌙

Ingredients:

Base Oats

Preparation:

That said, don’t feel like you need to buy anything special. A food storage container, meal-prep container, or even a cleaned-out pasta sauce jar will work just fine.

And, just like that, you’ve got yourself a fantastic overnight oats recipe that’s easy on the wallet, easy on the schedule, and generally keeps you full well into the afternoon (assuming your digestive system and dairy products are on speaking terms).

Peanut Butter Cup 🥜🍫

Restaurant-Quality Short Rib Ragu at Home

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Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu 🍲🍝🥩

Ingredients:

Ragu

Pasta (From Scratch)

Garnish

Preparation:

How to Cook on Stainless Steel

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